Fire-escape.



A. MOSER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1913.

1,084,1 62. Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

WITNESSES: [NYE/(TOR findraw [40.9672 94. 0 01W COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0, WASHINGTON. n. c.

' ATTORNEY iran srrawnnr OFFICE.

ANDREW MOSER, OF HICKMAN, NEBRASKA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

ineaiea.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, ANDREW Moses, a cltizen of the United States, residing at Hickman, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire-escapes characterized by an endless ladder which is so placed alongside the building as to pass the fire-exits thereof.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ladder structure by means of which the escape from burning building may be quickly and safely made, a guard being provided which holds the ladder steady and prevents it from swaying.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description appearing hereinafter, and in order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a building equipped with my improved fireescape. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a hori- Zontal section on the line 4E4 of Fig. 2.

Referring specifically to the drawing the ladder is made up of two endless chains 5 spaced sidewise and connected at regular intervals by crossbars 6 forming the rungs of the ladder. The chains are trained over top and bottom sprocket wheels 7 and 8 respectively journaled on shafts 9 carried by brackets 10 suitably mounted on the wall of the building. The bracket which supports the shaft of the bottom sprocket wheel also has a bearing for a shaft 11 carrying a pinion 12 which is in mesh, with a gear wheel 13 on the shaft of said lower sprocket wheel. The shaft 11 carries centrifugal arms 14 equipped with brake shoes 15 at their free ends and adapted to come in contact with the inner surface of a brake drum 16 mounted on the side of the building. When the ladder is in motion, the arms 14: fly outward and force the shoes 15 into frictional contact with the drum 16, whereby the speed of the ladder is automatically checked. An increased weight placed on the ladder tends to increase the speed thereof, whereby the braking action is increased Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 15, 1913.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

Serial No. 767,837.

to retard the motion, the braking action lessening as the speed is reduced. Thus a uniform speed of the ladder is maintained irrespective of the load placed upon it, and it is prevented from traveling too fast for the safety of the occupants thereof.

The ladder is placed at a slight inclination to facilitate its use, and it is equipped at intervals with platforms 1'? hinged at their inner ends on the rungs 6 and held in horizontal or supporting position by chains 18 connected at one end to the outer ends of the platform and at their other ends to one of the rungs above the rung which carries the platform. The platforms are free to swing upward, but downward swing is prevented by the chains.

The descending side of the ladder is provided with a guide for preventing swaying thereof. This guide is composed of two angle beams 19 connected by cross braces 20 to form a rigid frame-work. The angle irons are positioned so that the chains 5 lie in the angle thereof, whereby the ladder is prevented from swaying sidewise as well as back and forth. the angle beams providing a firm and rigid support. The framework forming the guide is supported by brackets 21 secured to and extending outward from the building. The outer ends of the brackets have depressed portions to space the same from the rungs 6 of the ladder so that the rungs may be grasped without the hands coming in contact with the bracket. For the same reason the crossbraces are bent outward from the angle beams.

The building is shown equipped with balconies 22 having eXits 23, and the ladder is so located that the platforms 17 pass the ex its one after the other, when the ladder is in motion. Thus a person can easily step from a balcony onto a platform as it passes the same, to be safely carried to the ground, the lower end of the ladder being located sufliciently close to the ground so that the occupant may step off the platform. when it reaches the ground, without being tripped. The platform naturally slips away from the occupant thereof when the bottom is reached. As the platforms are pivoted, the lower end of the ladder can be placed close to the ground, the platforms folding back to clear the ground. The angle beams 19 hold the ladder close to the balconies so that the platforms are guided to pass close to the exits,

and said beams terminate a short distance above the ground.

The guides and supports of the ladder also carry a sheet-iron cover 24L extending from the top to the bottom, so that there is no danger of the occupants of the platform having their feet caught in the crossbraces 20.

The ladder can be made of any length to suit the building which is to be equipped therewith, and as the apparatus is simple in construction it can be easily and cheaply installed.

I claim:

A fire-escape comprising an endless ladder, top and bottom supports for the ladder to permit travel thereof, a guide for the de scending side of the ladder, said guide c0mprising angle beams in the angle of Which the sides of the ladder run, cross braces connecting the angle beams, a cover plate eX- tending between the angle beams over the cross braces, and supporting brackets for the angle beams, the cross braces, the cover plate and the portions of the brackets which lie between the angle beams being spaced from the rungs of the ladder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

ANDREW MOSER.

Witnesses:

B. B. ABELs, C. L. MORRISON.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

